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1,001 things to know about the South topic of sociology professor's speech

CHAPEL HILL -- If there were a list of essential things to know about the South, it would surely be more than a collection of Civil War stories and "You might be a redneck if…" jokes.

Dr. John Shelton Reed, professor emeritus of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and co-author of "1,001 Things Everyone Should Know About the South," will discuss just that on Feb. 16 in Southern Pines.

The free public speech will be at 3 p.m. in the Southern Pines Public Library at 170 W. Connecticut Ave. Call (910) 692-8235 for more information.

Novelist Lee Smith calls Reed "hysterically funny and the most astute observer of the South that we have." He has written or edited more than a dozen books and received a prize for non-fiction from the Fellowship of Southern Writers. His other titles include "The Enduring South: Subcultural Persistence in Mass Society" and "Southerners: The Social Psychology of Sectionalism." He is a founding co-editor of the quarterly "Southern Cultures."

The lecture was arranged by Carolina Speakers at UNC. The outreach program brings more than 90 faculty members to business, civic and community groups across the state. The speakers share their expertise on more than 150 topics, including 46 that focus on North Carolina and the South. For more information or to schedule a Carolina Speaker, contact Sandy Roberts at (919) 962-1993 or sandy_roberts@unc.edu, or visit the Carolina Speakers Web site at www.unc.edu/depts/uncspeak.

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Contact: Sandy Roberts, (919) 962-1993, sandy_roberts@unc.edu